I breathe to the right side, however everywhere you go they say to breath bi-laterally! After watching the 400 meter Olympic free I did not spot one swimmer who was breathing bi-laterally, so what gives?
Should I practice bi-lateral breathing during long swim sets to improve my stroke balance and respiratory functions, then breath one-sided in a Tri race? I imagine that it might feel like taking off ankle weights after wearing them for awhile.
Let the swim gods respond…
I do not have a preferred side to breathe on but I still do not bi-lateral breathe - not even for training. I feel that the streamlining benefits gained from better body placement in the water with bi-lateral breathing are more than offset by the negative aspects of depriving yourself of oxygen. Can you imagine running a 5km race and forcing yourself to breathe only at the same rate as bilateral breathing?! Insane.
I treat bilateral breathing as a tool to have in one’s chest. One may chose to use bilateral breathing to even out body rotation and to acheive a more streamlined position in the water (generally as a drill), to aid in sighting buoys or markers when swimming in open water, or to avoid getting a mouthful of water every time you try to breathe if the waves are coming at you from your preferred breathing side. I do not feel that it is essential, or even in many cases beneficial to breathe bilaterally all the time - rather, it is a skill that one ought to posess and use when needed.